Tis the Season
by Dallirious
Summary: CJ gets fed up with Toby’s behaviour and takes matters into her own hands.


**Title:** Tis the Season  
**Fandom:** The West Wing  
**Characters:** CJ/Toby  
**Rating:** PG – a bit of name calling  
**Summary:** CJ gets fed up with Toby's behaviour and takes matters into her own hands.

--

No one was quite sure how long she had stood frozen just outside her office, and none of them dared to make a noise either. Nervous looks were shared and there was no obvious way of dealing with the situation. Composing herself, CJ looked down at her feet. She didn't want to look at anyone because she knew they'd look at her with pity in their eyes. Ignoring them she marched into her office, slamming the door behind her.

"That's not good." Ed muttered from where he sat on the edge of Carol's desk.

"Oh don't worry," Carol told him, handing him half of her lunch. "I'd say Toby's going to get what's coming to him."

"What makes you say that?" Just as Larry spoke, the door to CJ's office flung open. The Press secretary stormed past them, almost leaving a fiery trail behind her. Carol reached behind Ed and grabbed her phone, dialling the appropriate extension.

"Ginger, hey, CJ's comet is heading your way," She nodded as Ginger told her she could see her coming. "Yeah, thought I'd give you the heads up. Good luck."

"Tis the season…" Ed began.

"Yeah, for arguing with Toby," Carol sighed. She opened the bottom draw in her desk and pulled out a box of goldfish. "Excuse me gentlemen, I have to set up CJ's office so she doesn't snap at me when she comes back."

--

"I AM SICK TO DEATH OF YOUR LAME-ASS ATTITUDE!" CJ yelled as she burst into Toby's office.

"Hey CJ."

"Hey Andy," CJ turned to find Andy sitting on the couch. "I'm sorry this will only take a minute."

"Please, take your time." Andy sat back, prepared to watch the fireworks display.

"What the hell is going on?" Toby growled, immediately regretting it as his friend turned on him. Her eyes filled with rage as she moved closer to his desk.

"What's going on?" She asked, a wicked smile spreading across her lips. "You call me an idiot in front of everyone that works under me, and you don't expect a little BACK-LASH?" She slammed her hands down on the desk, emphasising her point.

"You called her an idiot?"

"Andy, this is an argument not a pantomime," Toby warned before she could say anything else. "CJ, I'm in the middle of something…"

"Yeah, an argument with me."

"Oh come on…"

"Toby, don't you dare tell me to get over this," She held up a hand and it looked dangerously as though she would lunge forward and strangle him. "Every damn Christmas, I put up with your Scrooge-ness…"

"Scrooge-ness?"

"DON'T interrupt me when I'm so close to kicking you ass!" CJ yelled. From where she sat, Andy flashed Toby a simple smile that told him he was screwed. "But to say my traditions are stupid and that I'm an idiot for conforming to the commercialism of Christmas, in front of almost everyone I work with? You don't do that to your best-friend Toby. You accept that we may have our differences, and you don't put the other person down because of their personal beliefs. You are a self-righteous pain in the ass, and you're having a Christmas dinner with me tonight whether you like it or not!" With that said CJ stormed out of the office, the door slamming shut behind her.

"God, Toby, don't let her handle any knives at dinner." Andy warned him, slightly amused with what had just happened but also visibly shocked.

"Thankyou for your support Andrea," Toby replied, hi tone dripping with sarcasm. "I'm not having dinner with her when she's in this mood."

"You can't say no when she's in this mood," Andy argued. "There's a good chance she could kill you, you are aware of that right?"

--

They had an two hours to kill before dinner would be ready. Toby sat by the window with his scotch while CJ set the table. Her brother wasn't due to arrive for an hour and a half, but for the fourth time she checked to make sure that she'd remembered to get a present for everyone. Neither of them had said much to each other. A simple hello and exchange of the information for the evening was all they had managed. Andy had convinced Toby that he needed to apologise, if not because he was a rude bastard, then because it was Christmas and CJ was his best-friend. The only problem was he didn't know how. He sat staring out the window, and thinking. After a few minutes and idea struck, he downed his scotch and headed into the kitchen.

"Dinner won't be ready for a while, and Patrick said he'd be here at eight…" She was going through everything to make sure it was all right for dinner. Nothing could go wrong.

"CJ here," He'd picked up her coat from where it had been sitting on a stool and handed it to her. "Put this on."

"It's not cold in here, Toby." She frowned, looking at the coat in her hands.

"No, but I want to show you something," He waited for her to take the coat, but she wouldn't. She simply frowned at him, confused by this sudden action. "Before your family arrives." He almost smiled as she took the coat, and waited as she adjusted the heat of the oven before joining him at the door.

"Are we going to be long?"

"No," Toby shrugged on his own coat and opened the door for her. "I hope not." Reluctantly CJ followed him, double checking she had the key to her apartment. They were headed upstairs which only seemed to confuse CJ more, but Toby would not tell her his plans. It only took them seven minutes and they were on the roof of her apartment building, looking out over the city.

"It's snowing," CJ cried out in amazement, holding out her hands. "Toby it's snowing!" She laughed like a child as she looked around, in awe of the view surrounding them.

"It's the first snowfall." He told her, stating the obvious.

"Toby, you brought me up here to show me the first snowfall?" She'd returned to his side, and a shy smile played on her lips.

"I thought you'd like it."

"I do," She whispered sincerely. "I love it."

"CJ," He grabbed her arm before she could move away again. For a moment all he could do was stare at her smile, he didn't think he'd ever seen her so happy before. "I'd like to apologise for my behaviour for the past few weeks." Her smile seemed to brighten, if that was even possible, and she leaned forward and pressed a kiss against his cheek.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you." She whispered against his ear.

"I'm sorry for being a self-righteous pain in the ass." Toby replied, causing CJ to laugh softly. He pulled back and kissed her lightly, but with a passion he'd never felt before. A moment passed and they broke apart.

"I'm sorry I try to make you do things that you don't want to do." Her hands had slid up around his neck, while his had buried under her coat and rested on her hips.

"There are only so many times you can make me say I'm sorry, so don't…" His words were cut off as she pressed her lips against his. Even in the extreme cold weather, he was beginning to heat up fast. He wanted more, he wanted her. With a wicked smile CJ pulled away.

"Are you sure there's nothing else you want to apologise for?" She asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"I'm sorry I called you and idiot," He almost smiled as she lightly kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry I embarrassed you, and I'm sorry I'm such a scrooge. And I'm sorry I've never told you before…" He pulled her closer to him, admiring how beautiful she looked as the snow fell around them and glistened in her hair.

"What that you're sorry for your bad attitude at Christmas?" She frowned. "No I don't think you've told me that before."

"I love you, CJ."

"You haven't told me that before either," She joked, before the meaning of his words finally hit her. "Toby, you just said…"

"I love you."

"Oh God you said it again," She looked away nervously, unsure what to say or do. "You do realise that any romantic relationship we may be in, only started about a minute ago, which means you don't have to say that for at least a month."

"Since when have we stuck to the rules?" His hand moved up to caress her cheek, and she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "I do love you, CJ, and if you want me to tell you in a month and forget about tonight I will."

"No," She shook her head, trying to make sense of the thoughts running through her head. "Toby, you brought me up here during the first snowfall to tell me that you love me. I've never known anyone to make me feel the way I do at this moment."

"So you're saying…?"

"I love you too." CJ laughed, as he held her close. "Hogan's going to love this. This morning I was prepared to kill you and now I'm madly in love with you. She'll probably start planning a wedding before we even consider it."

"CJ…"

"Don't push your luck."


End file.
